Cameron gives ministers free vote in EU referendum

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron will allow his ministers freedom to choose which way they vote in the upcoming referendum on EU membership, he told parliament on Tuesday.

Cameron, who has promised to hold an In/Out referendum by the end of 2017, said his government will take a position depending on the outcome of negotiations with EU leaders on redefining the terms of membership, but ministers will be free to make up their own minds.

“As I indicated before Christmas, there will be a clear government position, but it will be open to individual ministers to take a different personal position while remaining part of the government,” he said.

If the Conservative leader had decided instead to insist on a united front in the cabinet, he would have been forced to get rid of ministers who disagreed with him. Cameron has promised to campaign in favor of continued British membership if London can get its EU partners to it agree to its demands.

Expectations are that the issue will divide the cabinet, with six Euroskeptic ministers likely vote in favor of Britain leaving, according to media reports.

Cameron updated MPs on a summit of EU leaders in December at which his reform proposals were discussed. He said there was “strong support” for Britain staying in the EU and he hoped to secure a deal at a summit in Brussels in February.

The prime minister was given a boost Tuesday when Manfred Weber, deputy head of Germany’s Christian Social Union and leader of the center-right MEPs in the European Parliament, said that Cameron’s plans, including a controversial cap on benefits for EU migrants, would get support.

Asked by Labour MP Paul Farrelly if the plan to stop EU migrants from claiming benefits for four years was a proposal or a demand, Cameron said it was a proposal and it will remain on the table until someone comes up with a better idea.

‘I’m staying on’

Cameron fielded questions on EU reform from ministers on all sides of the House of Commons.

Asked by a Labour MP what he would do if the country refused to follow his position on the referendum. Cameron said he intended to carry on “come what may.”

He also said he was watching with interest Switzerland’s attempt to renegotiate its relationship with the EU, so that it can opt out of free movement rules. He said one problem is that the EU is insisting on all aspects of that relationship being up for renegotiation.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he believed Cameron was botching the renegotiation and only acting in the interests of the Conservative Party.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, who is in favor of EU membership, said in a comment on Twitter that Cameron is “failing to lead his own government.”

“Now is not the time to back down. Government should take a collective position on this issue. If ministers disagree with the PM they should resign,” Farron said.

Angus Robertson, leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, said that if the people of Scotland voted to stay in the EU and the people of England to leave, would the Scots be allowed to stay. His comments were met with groans from Tory MPs. Cameron said the people of Scotland voted to stay in the U.K. and must abide by the referendum result.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign which favors Brexit, said: “Ministers should be allowed to campaign openly as soon as the renegotiation is complete”.

Elliott added that his organization had already had “lots of useful meetings” with ministers.